Comprehensive Flood
Assistance
Information for
Individuals & Businesses
January 2011
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This information has been compiled to assist you in gaining support. We are indebted to our
friends at the Southern Downs Council who generously initiated this information.
Wherever possible we have collated all relevant information from the various bodies offering
support. Contact details have also been supplied.
You are not alone in this horrible time. Our community and all levels of government are here to
help. Reach out and accept support.
Contents:
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment ................................................. 3
Special Disaster Flood Assistance ............................................................................... 3
Assistance for primary producers ............................................................................... 4
Assistance for small businesses................................................................................... 6
Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy** ......................................................................... 8
Queensland Government financial assistance............................................................ 8
Financial Assistance Hotline ........................................................................................ 9
Tax assistance for flood victims .................................................................................. 9
Insurance Hotline ......................................................................................................... 9
Government works with insurance industry to help flood victims ..........................10
Fact sheet on insurance claims ...................................................................................10
Concessional interest rate loans ................................................................................ 11
Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme .......................................................... 11
AGL support for flood-affected customers ............................................................... 11
Community Door – Energy Bills Information ............................................................. 12
Can’t pay an electricity or gas bill ............................................................................... 12
Certificate fees waived for flood victims ...................................................................14
Birth, deaths and marriages .................................................................................... 15
Assistance from Main Roads and Transport .............................................................. 15
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Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) will be provided to eligible
people adversely affected by the Queensland flooding. The payment is to provide immediate,
one-off financial assistance ($1 000 per adult and $400 per child) to eligible Australians
adversely affected by the disaster. Claims for this assistance can be lodged at Centrelink until 4
July 2011. As these are updated regularly, please check the website for the most current
information.
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/emergency/special_arrangements_dec10.ht
m
Eligibility includes:
 a person was seriously injured, or
 a person is the immediate family member of an Australian killed as a direct result of the
disaster, or
 a person’s principal place of residence has been destroyed, or
 a person’s principal place of residence has sustained major damage, or
 a person is unable to gain access to their principal place of residence for a period of 24
hours or more, or
 a person is stranded in their principal place of residence for a period of 24 hours or
more, or
 a person's principal place of residence was without electricity, water, gas, sewerage
services or another essential service for at least 48 hours (a utility failure) and the utility
failure was caused by damage to public or private infrastructure, or
 a person is a principal carer of a dependent child who has experienced any of the above.
Centrelink will assist people affected by these events to access Government assistance quickly.
Centrelink social workers and psychologists can provide counselling, support and information
about services available.
FIND OUT MORE: Call Centrelink on 180 22 66 or visit the website.
Special Disaster Flood Assistance
Grant assistance up to $25,000
Grants are available from QRAA to assist your primary production enterprise to pay for costs
arising out of direct damage caused by the November and December 2010 flood crisis.
What assistance is available?
Grants of up to $25,000 are available to assist eligible primary producers as follows:
Initial claim: up to $5,000 to assist you with immediate early recovery (subject to
future QRAA audit)
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Subsequent claim: up to $20,000 to recover costs that you have paid in order to
repair direct flood damage.
Assistance under this scheme is not intended to compensate for loss of income.
Assistance for primary producers
Grants are available from QRAA to assist your primary production enterprise to pay for costs
arising out of direct damage caused by the November and December 2010 flood crisis.
What assistance is available?
Grants of up to $25,000 are available to assist eligible primary producers as follows:
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Initial claim: up to $5,000 to assist you with immediate early recovery (subject to
future QRAA audit)
Subsequent claim: up to $20,000 to recover costs that you have paid in order to
repair direct flood damage.
Assistance under this scheme is not intended to compensate for loss of income.
How can the assistance help you?
The assistance enables you to cover the costs associated with cleaning and restoration
activities including:
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purchasing, hiring or leasing plant, equipment or materials to clean or resume
business activities
clearing or disposing of debris and damaged goods or injured or dead livestock
repairing buildings or fittings in buildings other than houses
repairing or reconditioning essential plant or equipment
repairing roads, fences and dams and other essential infrastructure
leasing temporary premises
repairing or restoring fields and purchasing fodder or saving crops or feed for
livestock
replacing lost or damaged stock (other than livestock)
maintain the health of livestock or poultry
engaging a person to clean or conduct a safety inspection of premises
paying additional wages to an employee to assist with the clean-up and restoration
work.
Who is eligible to apply?
To apply for assistance for direct damage caused by flooding in November and December 2010,
you must be located in one of the following local government areas (current as at 12/01/2011):
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Balonne, Banana, Barcaldine, Brisbane City Council, Bundaberg
Central Highlands, Cherbourg
Fraser Coast
Gladstone Regional Council (Boyne River, Kolan River and Baffle Creek catchments),
Goondiwindi Regional Council (west of Leichardt Highway), Gympie
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Ipswich City Council, Isaac (partial declaration defined as west of the Sarina
Marlborough Road, south of the Peak Downs Highway and east of the Gregory
Developmental Road)
Lockyer Valley
Maranoa Regional Council (south of the Condamine-Roma Road and the Dunkeld Rd
to the Southern Road and east of the Southern Road to Woodburn Rd, and south of
the Diliqui Rd to the Balonne Shire boundary), Moreton Bay
North Burnett
Rockhampton
Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast
Toowoomba
Western Downs, Woorabinda
Primary producers in these areas that have suffered direct damage and who have generated
more than 50 per cent of their income from their businesses are eligible to apply.
How is primary producer defined?
To be eligible for the grant you must:
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be a primary producer
have been engaged in your primary production enterprise, in the
prescribed November and December 2010 flood disaster area and have suffered
direct damage as a result of the flood event
intend to re-establish your primary production enterprise
be responsible for meeting the costs you are claiming.
Please note, further criteria apply. The guidelines for this assistance (including terms and
conditions) will be available in the near future.
To apply for the initial claim up to $5,000, what do I need to provide with my application?
In the initial claim, some evidence of damage that has occurred to your enterprise will be
required. (e.g. photographs, quotes and/or tax invoices.)
To apply for the subsequent claim up to $20,000, what do I need to provide with my
application?
The subsequent claim requires you to have made payments for repairs. QRAA will require:
1. tax invoices showing full details of goods or services supplied (to be identifiable as flood
related damage on the invoice), including the initial claim up to $5,000 and
2. an official receipt from the supplier or contractor – if this cannot be obtained, photocopies of
cheque butts, bank transfers and bank statements will be required, including the initial claim up
to $5,000.
Financial Hardship
If you are unable to pay for clean up and restoration costs you may be eligible to apply for
assistance under financial hardship.
To be eligible for financial hardship you must hold a current low income health care card from
Centrelink or provide a certificate from a qualified person (see guidelines for further
information).
If you have any questions, assistance is available...
Should you have any queries regarding the flood assistance, our Client Liaison Officers are
available to assist you or please contact us in Brisbane on Freecall 1800 623 946.
Other assistance available
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QRAA also administers low interest loans of up to $250,000 to primary producers under the
Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Assistance scheme.
Assistance for small businesses
Grants are available from QRAA to assist your small business to pay for costs arising out of
direct damage caused by the November and December 2010 flood crisis.
What assistance is available?
Grants of up to $25,000 are available to assist eligible small businesses as follows:


Initial claim: up to $5,000 to assist you with immediate early recovery (subject to
future QRAA audit)
Subsequent claim: up to $20,000 to recover costs that you have paid in order to
repair direct flood damage.
Assistance under this scheme is not intended to compensate for loss of income.
How can the assistance help you?
The assistance enables you to cover the costs associated with cleaning and restoration
activities including:






purchasing, hiring or leasing plant, equipment or materials to clean or resume
business activities (including stock replacement)
clearing or disposing of debris and damaged goods
repairing buildings or fittings in buildings other than houses
leasing temporary premises for the purpose of resuming trading
engaging a person clean or to conduct a safety inspection of premises
paying additional wages to an employee to assist with the clean-up and restoration
work.
Who is eligible to apply?
To apply for assistance for direct damage caused by flooding in November and December 2010,
you must be located in one of the following local government areas (current as at 12/01/2011):

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





Balonne, Banana, Barcaldine, Brisbane City Council, Bundaberg
Central Highlands, Cherbourg
Fraser Coast
Gladstone Regional Council (Boyne River, Kolan River and Baffle Creek catchments),
Goondiwindi Regional Council (west of Leichardt Highway), Gympie
Ipswich City Council, Isaac (partial declaration defined as west of the Sarina
Marlborough Road, south of the Peak Downs Highway and east of the Gregory
Developmental Road)
Lockyer Valley
Maranoa Regional Council (south of the Condamine-Roma Road and the Dunkeld Rd
to the Southern Road and east of the Southern Road to Woodburn Rd, and south of
the Diliqui Rd to the Balonne Shire boundary), Moreton Bay
North Burnett
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Rockhampton
Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast
Toowoomba
Western Downs, Woorabinda
Small businesses in these areas that have suffered direct damage and who have generated
more than 50 per cent of their income from their businesses are eligible to apply.
How is a small business defined?
To be eligible for the grant you must:
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own (whether as sole owner, in partnership or as a private company) a small
business
have been engaged in your small business, in the prescribed November and
December 2010 flood disaster area and have suffered direct damage as a result of the
flood event
intend to re-establish your small business enterprise
be responsible for meeting the costs you are claiming.
Please note, further criteria apply. The guidelines for this assistance (including terms and
conditions) will be available in the near future.
To apply for the initial claim up to $5,000, what do I need to provide with my application?
In the initial claim, some evidence of damage that has occurred to your enterprise will be
required. (e.g. photographs, quotes and/or tax invoices.)
To apply for the subsequent claim up to $20,000, what do I need to provide with my
application?
The subsequent claim requires you to have made payments for repairs. QRAA will require:
1. tax invoices showing full details of goods or services supplied (to be identifiable as flood
related damage on the invoice), including the initial claim up to $5,000 and
2. an official receipt from the supplier or contractor – if this cannot be obtained, photocopies of
cheque butts, bank transfers and bank statements will be required, including the initial claim up
to $5,000.
Financial Hardship
If you are unable to pay for clean up and restoration costs you may be eligible to apply for
assistance under financial hardship.
To be eligible for financial hardship you must hold a current low income health care card from
Centrelink or provide a certificate from a qualified person (see guidelines for further
information).
If you have any questions, assistance is available...
Should you have any queries regarding the flood assistance, our Client Liaison Officers are
available to assist you or please contact us in Brisbane on Freecall 1800 623 946.
Other assistance available
QRAA also administers low interest loans of up to $250,000 to small businesses under the
Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Assistance scheme.
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Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy**
** please note the Government is still finalising the eligibility guidelines
The Australian Government is providing additional support for employees, small businesses and
farmers who have lost income as a direct result of the floods crisis.
The Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy is a fortnightly payment of up to the maximum rate of
existing Newstart Allowance for a period of 13 weeks. The subsidy will be available to those
who have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the flooding and are not currently
receiving, or eligible for, any other income support payment.
Employees, small businesses and farmers who reside or derive an income from disaster
declared areas will be eligible to claim the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy should they fulfill
the criteria.
Centrelink will start processing claims for the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy immediately
and first payments are expected to begin rolling out early next week.
FIND OUT MORE: Contact the Australian Government Emergency Information line on 180 22 66
to register your details.
Queensland Government financial assistance
Financial grants are available as a ‘safety net’ for families and individuals affected by a disaster.
These financial grants provide a contribution to families and individuals who are not able to
meet the cost of replacing or repairing uninsured essential household goods and/or their
owner occupied residence without government assistance. They are not designed to meet the
full cost of replacement or repair or to replace household insurance. Three types of financial
grants are available:
1. Emergent Assistance Grant
In the first few days following a disaster, a grant of $170 per person, up to a maximum of $850
for a family of five or more is available. This grant is available to people experiencing hardship
due to the disaster who require assistance to meet their basic needs. A cheque will be issued
which can be presented at the Commonwealth Bank. Please check the opening times for your
local branch. This grant is not means tested.
2. Essential Household Contents Grant
An Essential Household Contents Grant is available to eligible families and individuals to help
with the replacement or repair of uninsured, essential household contents which have been
lost, damaged or destroyed due to the disaster. This grant is subject to a means test and is
available to people whose home contents are uninsured. The grant provides assistance of up to
$1705 for individuals and $5120 for families.
3.Structural Assistance Grant
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A Structural Assistance Grant is available to assist repair owner-occupied, uninsured residences
damaged by the disaster. The residence must be the property owner’s sole place of residence
and applicants for this grant must satisfy an income and assets test. The grant provides a
contribution towards repairing eligible residence to a habitable and secure condition.
Assistance of up to $10 500 for individuals and $14 200 for families can be provided.
A Queensland Government assessor must visit your property before a Structural Assistance
Grant can be given and the agreed grant payment is made to the tradesperson once work is
completed.
FIND OUT MORE: phone 1800 173 349 or see the fact sheet.
Financial Assistance Hotline
Financial counseling hotline: 1800 007 007
(Financial First Aid run by Lifeline)
Tax assistance for flood victims
Flood victims in Queensland can get their tax payments deferred and refunds fast-tracked. The
ATO can provide the following services:
 Fast tracking refunds
 Providing people and businesses extra time to pay debts – without interest charges
 Giving extra time to meet activity statement, income tax and other lodgment
obligations – without penalties
 Helping to reconstruct tax records where documents have been destroyed, and make
reasonable estimates where necessary
 Assisting people who are experiencing serious hardship.
The Government is encouraging businesses in particular to take advantage of the offer of a free
record reconstruction service, which can help put together replacement records for those lost
in the floods. To request a free 'record reconstruction visit' register online
http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.asp?doc=/content/77828.htm&alias=assistancevisit.
FIND OUT MORE: Call the dedicated emergency support line – 1800 806 218.
ATO website: http://www.ato.gov.au/
Insurance Hotline
The Australian Government is working closely with the insurance industry to minimise any
potential problems with accessing insurance claims and is urging anyone affected by the floods
to contact their insurance companies as early as possible. A 24-hour insurance hotline is
operating for members of the community who have questions about insurance, or who have
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lost paperwork and need assistance in identifying their insurer.
The hotline number is 1300 728 228.
FIND OUT MORE: Here is the media release from Friday, 7 January 2011.
Government works with insurance industry to help flood victims
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten met with the Insurance Council of Australia yesterday (Thursday) to
discuss insurance claims in the face of the Queensland floods.
"When I was Parliamentary Secretary for Bushfire Recovery after the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, I worked
closely with the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) to coordinate insurance arrangements to assist the
community and government to respond to the event," Mr Shorten said.
"Doing the same again for victims of the devastating Queensland floods is only good sense and I am
pleased the insurance companies and the ICA are responding so quickly to these difficult
circumstances."
Insurers will be processing claims as quickly as possible on a case by case basis, taking into account the
terms of the policy purchased by the consumer, the circumstances of the loss and the requirements of
the industry Code of Practice. Not all insurance policies will cover policyholders for this type of flood
event. Policy holders should contact their insurer for clarification.
"It is too early to estimate the full cost of insurance claims, as many property owners have yet to gain
access to their properties in order to assess the damage and lodge a claim. We believe about 1800
residential properties have over-floor flooding."
"Both the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments are working closely with a taskforce of 24
insurance companies, all with clients potentially exposed to the event, to coordinate the recovery and
rebuilding efforts for insured flood victims."
Policyholders making a claim can assist the process by developing an inventory of lost and damaged
items, as well as photographing the damage sustained and keeping samples or records of any materials
that have had to be removed from the property.
Insurance experts have been sent to existing recovery centres. As one-stop-shops are established by
government similar representation will be provided as a community resource in each location where a
need exists.
Flood victims are encouraged, if they have not already done so, to contact their insurer to lodge a claim
or to determine their eligibility to make a claim under the policy they have purchased.
There is a dispute resolution process for insurance claims that is free to consumers and binding on
insurance companies. Any consumer with a dispute is encouraged to use this process. In the first
instance consumers can request that the insurance company review its decision to deny a claim – this is
called internal dispute resolution. If the consumer remains unhappy with the outcome after internal
dispute resolution, a dispute may be lodged with the Financial Ombudsman Service.
"The Government is working closely with the insurance industry to minimise any potential problems
with accessing insurance claims and we urge anyone affected by the floods to contact their insurance
companies as early as possible," Mr Shorten said.
A 24 hour insurance hotline is operating for members of the community who have questions about
insurance, or who have lost paperwork and need assistance in identifying their insurer.
The hotline number is 1300 728 228 and to date has assisted in excess of 100 property owners with
information.
7 January 2011
Fact sheet on insurance claims
Legal Aid has a produced a fact sheet on insurance claims for people affected by floods, storms
and/or cyclones. This factsheet is for helping you to make an insurance claim even if your
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premiums were not up to date, or there are concerns the damage is not covered by the policy
you have.
FIND OUT MORE: Visit the Legal Aid website
http://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Pages/Home.aspx
Hotline: 1300 65 11 88
Concessional interest rate loans
Financial assistance is available through Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority for primary
producers and small businesses that have suffered direct damage. Concessional interest rate
loans of up to $250 000 and freight subsidies of up to $5 000 have been extended to 23 shires
and councils.
These are available based on specific activation by Local Government Area. For up to date
information about this service contact 1800 623 946.
Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme
The Queensland Government has a scheme to assist customers who are unable to pay an
electricity or gas bill due to a short-term financial crisis caused by an unexpected event.
The Home Energy Emergency Assistance (HEEA) Scheme offers a one-off payment of up to
$720, to customers with a base income no more than the Commonwealth maximum income
rate for part age pensioners, or customers registered on their retailer’s hardship program or
payment plan. It is available to applicants who have had high unexpected expenses or a
substantial decrease in income, or are unable to pay their bill due to another reason, occurring
in the previous 12 months.
Eligible customers can receive HEEA once in 12 months, but assistance may only be provided
under the scheme for two consecutive years.
Customers need to contact their retailer to apply for HEEA, but agencies can assist their clients
with applications. All collection or disconnection action on the account must be stopped while
a HEEA claim is being processed.
Customers must apply through their energy retailer.
AGL support for flood-affected customers
Energy retailer AGL is encouraging its flood-affected customers to contact them if they need
help with their energy accounts. AGL has set up a dedicated team to assist customers who are
impacted by the floods, and will suspend all debt collection action for impacted customers for
one month, which may be extended on a case by case basis. It will also stop billing of
residential customers until the end of January.
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Flood-affected customers of other energy suppliers should contact their retailer to find out
what assistance is available if they are unable to pay their energy bills. The Queensland
Electricity Industry Code requires retailers to offer payment plans to customers experiencing
financial difficulties, and many retailers provide hardship programs offering assistance beyond
their regulatory obligations.
Community Door – Energy Bills Information
Can’t pay an electricity or gas bill
Information from:
http://www.communitydoor.org.au/node/569
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Depending on the circumstances, there are a few options that may help a client who is having
difficulty paying energy bills. These include:
Payment plans
Concessions
Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme
Retailer hardship programs
Information about other forms of assistance in addition to those discussed below is available
from the Energy Ombudsman Queensland website.
Payment Plans
The Queensland Electricity Industry Code requires retailers to offer instalment plans to
customers who inform them that they are experiencing payment difficulties.
When negotiating instalment plans, retailers are required to take into account information they
are given regarding the customer’s capacity to pay and usage needs. The retailer must also
specify the period of the plan, the number and amount of instalments, and how the amount of
instalments is calculated. The Electricity Industry Code also requires that the number of
instalments is not less than four, unless the customer agrees otherwise. The amount of the
instalments should cover arrears and estimated usage during the period of the instalment
plans.
Where appropriate, when a retailer becomes aware that a customer is experiencing payment
difficulties, it must also provide information on the right to have the bill redirected to a third
person, independent financial counselling and other relevant services, concessions, grants or
rebates that may be available, and to the extent available, how to arrange for an electricity
audit.
The exception to the requirement to offer an instalment plan is where a customer has had two
instalment plans cancelled due to non-payment in the previous 12 months.
Concessions
The Queensland Government offers an Electricity Rebate or a Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate
to electricity or gas customers who hold a current Queensland Seniors Card or Pensioner
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Concession Card, or who hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card and receive either a
War Widow or Special Rate TPI Pension. The rebates are calculated as an amount per day
credited to electricity or gas bills.
Customers receiving the Electricity Rebate should also receive an automatic exemption from
the Community Ambulance Cover levy.
Eligible customers can apply for the Electricity Rebate or Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate
through their retailer by completing an application form either in writing or by phone.
Recipients of either rebate who change suppliers need to advise their new supplier that they
are eligible for the rebate.
Some customers with special medical needs may be eligible for additional concessions. From 1
July 2010 the Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme will provide
assistance to concession card holders who have a qualifying medical condition requiring the
use of an air conditioner for cooling or heating, or who are the parent or legal guardian of a
person with a qualifying medical condition. The concession will be paid quarterly to eligible
applicants. To allow applicants to obtain the necessary medical certification during their
regular appointment schedule, the concession can be back-paid to 1 July 2010 for applicants
with a previously diagnosed medical condition who apply before 30 June 2011. For more
information about the Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme, contact
Smart Service Queensland on 1800 460 849. An information brochure and application form can
also be downloaded from the Department of Communities website.
http://www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/community/concessions/brochure/stategovt/medic
al.html
The Queensland Government also offers an Electricity Life Support Concession to users of
oxygen concentrators who hold eligible concession cards, or kidney dialysis machines. The
machines must have been supplied by Queensland Health for the user to be eligible for the
concession. Application forms are sent to eligible users within 14 working days of receiving
their machines.
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Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme
The Home Energy Emergency Assistance (HEEA) Scheme is available as a one-off payment to
concession card holders, customers with a base income no more than the Commonwealth
maximum income rate for part age pensioners, or customers registered on their retailer’s
hardship program or payment plan, who are experiencing a short term financial crisis, and are
unable to pay their electricity or gas bill.
To receive assistance, applicants must show that one of the following has occurred in the last
12 months:
The cost of shelter has become more than 30% of household income
The cost of energy has become more than 10% of household income
High unavoidable and/or unexpected expenses (note that usual, ongoing or voluntary
expenses are not covered)
Substantial decrease in household income
Another reason preventing the customer from being able to pay their energy account,
such as a natural disaster. This is assessed on a case by case basis.
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The customer’s arrears must also be at least $100 for assistance to be provided.
A payment of up to $720 is available once in 12 months, although special cases where the cap is
not sufficient will be considered on merit. Assistance may only be provided under the scheme
for two consecutive years.
Customers need to contact their retailer to apply for HEEA, but agencies can assist their clients
with applications. All collection or disconnection action on the account must be stopped while
a HEEA claim is being processed.
For further information about HEEA, contact your energy retailer.
Some agencies have been reporting difficulties in obtaining HEEA forms from their clients’
retailers. If this occurs, ask to speak to the retailer’s hardship program team. If the retailer
doesn’t have a dedicated hardship team, ask to speak to a call centre supervisor.
If you think your client is eligible for HEEA and have difficulties obtaining an application form
for them, you should also contact
Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) on 07 3004 6900.
QCOSS is funded by the Queensland government to provide systemic advocacy on behalf of
residential electricity customers, particularly low income or vulnerable consumers.
Hardship programs
Many retailers offer hardship programs, providing individualised support based on the
customer’s circumstances, over and above their requirements to offer a payment plan.
Depending on the retailer, hardship programs may include energy audits, incentive payment
plans, and assistance with retrofitting. Currently, however, retailers are not required to
provide hardship programs in Queensland.
Certificate fees waived for flood victims
Victims of Queensland’s floods can apply for free replacement birth, death, marriage or
change-of-name certificates. Affected Queenslanders who have outstanding fines with the
State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) are also eligible to have enforcement action
temporarily deferred.
Replace flood-damaged or lost certificates free of charge
If, as a result of the floods, you have lost important certificates such as birth, death, marriage
or change-of-name you can apply for replacements free of charge. Simply apply at a
courthouse or a Queensland Government Agent Program office or phone the Registry of
Births, Deaths and Marriages on 1300 366 430 or email BDM-mail@justice.qld.gov.au.
Birth certificates are important documents, particularly for identification purposes with banks
and for parents whose children are starting school shortly.
Deferral of unpaid fines
Flood victims with outstanding fines with the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) who
wish to have enforcement action suspended should phone SPER on 1300 365 635.
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These arrangements will be in place until the end of March 2011, with the possibility of
extension depending on future weather events.
http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/justice-services/certificate-fees-waived
Birth, deaths and marriages
Address: 110 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Postal address
PO Box 15188
City East QLD 4002
Office hours: 8.30am - 4.30pm
Phone 1300 366 430 (local call charge within Australia, mobiles charged at applicable rates)
Assistance from Main Roads and Transport
The Department of Transport and Main Roads has implemented the following assistance for
residents and communities impacted by the floods:
Option for three, six or twelve month registration period with no surcharge
Exemption from a fee for late payment of registration
Option to extend dormant seasonal vehicle registration period up to two years
Options for fodder transport
Extension of time for certificates of inspection for heavy vehicles including public
transport vehicles
Free replacement of lost and/or damaged driver licences
Options for lost or damaged Infringement Notices
FIND OUT MORE: Call 13 23 80 or visit your local Customer Service Centre or QGAP office.
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